Ruthie Baker, Jennifer Grimm, Liv Kemp, Stephanie Cousins, Anna Hashizume, Kiko Laureano, Lynnea Doublette, and Erin Capello Photo by Rick Spaulding

Like all strong History Theatre productions, I Am Betty entertains while deepening the audience's knowledge about the subject matter. Maybe you didn't know that Betty Crocker was already a popular icon before her famous "Picture Cook Book" in 1950 or that she answered homemakers' questions on our hometown radio station, WCCO. The show may lead you on some Google searches of its leading characters, like Marjorie Husted, winningly portrayed by Erin Capello, and Ken and Barbara Jo Davis of Ken Davis BBQ Sauce, played with a solid, relaxed warmth by Tiffany Cooper and youthful naiveté by Lynnea Doublette, respectively.

Much of the fun comes from the journey through history, starting right at the top with some 1920s-era music and flapper silhouettes by scenic and costume designer Sarah Bahr. While the scenic design feels a little contemporary for this 100-year journey, the costumes update throughout, with a consistent nod to Betty Crocker's white collar and red sweater. Marjorie has the perfect 1950s Peter Pan collar with hers, and at one point in the second half Barbara Jo wears a stunning 1980s interpretation, complete with some shoulder pads and a little shine. Musical numbers take on the style of various decades, with the 1950s bored housewife number at the end of Act One a hilarious highlight.

The playfulness and specificity the creators and choreographer Renee Guitar find in these knowing nods to the past are joyful and nostalgic while simultaneously highlighting the ongoing demands that women experience between the pull of homemaker and career. In Marjorie's day, women are expected to leave their career when they get married. By the time Barbara Jo is in charge, that is no longer the expectation. Bing Crosby, Shirley Temple, and Bob Hope all pop in for fun cameos, the invention of Hamburger Helper is given a '70s-style boogie, and even the Easy-Bake Oven gets a mention.

The production is a little long, with too much time spent on Marjorie's wet blanket of a beau, Wally, in Act One. Liv Kemp sells us on Wally's fascination and support of Marjorie as a working woman in the charming number "Mr. Marjorie," but the character does an immediate about face when Marjorie's work demands increase. Marjorie's song "Something More" sounds more contemporary music theatre than any other song in the production, and does not need a reprise.

These are minor quibbles. The themes of I Am Betty are as relevant today as they were 100 years ago. "Trudy's Lament," gorgeously sung by a 1930 homemaker and WCCO listener played by Jennifer Grimm, is a song of the loneliness of the demands of motherhood and housework that resonates far more than some jokes about sourdough starters in the pandemic during a final potluck scene set in 2021. The contrast between feminist Betty Friedan and Betty Crocker is the heart of this piece, representing "two sides of a coin" in the words of the creators. The contrast is sharply drawn in the song "Hurricane" at the top of Act Two, as Barbara Jo crosses through protesters to enter the workforce in the test kitchens. A working Black homemaker is nothing new, she assures the protesters, her goal is to make life easier for all working women.

In her director's notes, García writes that I Am Betty could just as well be called We Are Betty. For the 75th anniversary in 1996, General Mills initiated a nationwide search to find contemporary women who embodied the principles of Betty Crocker. When first-generation Rosa, played by Kiko Laureano, shares her Betty Crocker-award winning essay with her daughter Lina, played by Capello, both actresses are moved to tears. This production, with its all female cast and nearly all female production team, embodies the principles of Betty Crocker. It's a feminist tale as warm and inviting as a fresh pan of brownies.

I Am Betty runs through December 29, 2024, at History Theatre, 30 E. 10th, St. Paul MN. For tickets and information, please call 651-292-4320 or visit HistoryTheatre.com.